A Murder at Rosamund's Gate
A Mystery
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4.2 • 12 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
For Lucy Campion, a seventeenth-century English chambermaid serving in the household of the local magistrate, life is an endless repetition of polishing pewter, emptying chamber pots, and dealing with other household chores until a fellow servant is ruthlessly killed, and someone close to Lucy falls under suspicion. Lucy can't believe it, but in a time where the accused are presumed guilty until proven innocent, lawyers aren't permitted to defend their clients, and—if the plague doesn't kill the suspect first—public executions draw a large crowd of spectators, Lucy knows she may never find out what really happened. Unless, that is, she can uncover the truth herself.
Determined to do just that, Lucy finds herself venturing out of her expected station and into raucous printers' shops, secretive gypsy camps, the foul streets of London, and even the bowels of Newgate prison on a trail that might lead her straight into the arms of the killer.
In her debut novel Murder at Rosamund's Gate, Susanna Calkins seamlessly blends historical detail, romance, and mystery in a moving and highly entertaining tale.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 1665, Calkins's debut brings London on the eve of the Great Plague to vivid life. Lucy Campion, a chambermaid, is fortunate to be employed by a benevolent magistrate named Hargrave, who's eager to help her better herself. The discovery in a nearby field of a near-naked woman who has been stabbed to death piques Lucy's interest. Hargrave links this crime to another murder. Following the killing of a fellow female servant, Lucy turns detective. She only intensifies her sleuthing efforts after her brother, William, who knew one of the dead women, is charged with the servant's murder. When members of her household begin showing signs of having been infected with the Black Death, Lucy must deal with other life-and-death matters. The solution isn't quite at the same level as the other aspects of the plot, but the high-quality writing augurs well for future outings.
Customer Reviews
It is fiction, but not really historical
I do so wish I'd read the authors statement at the end of the book FIRST, wherein she excuses herself from historical accuracy, explains why she felt it necessary to use modern slang, and pretty much everything else one might criticize. It might have kept me from wasting the bucks on this one.
It's 1665, and a main character says "yuck"?! That should tell you much of what you need to know about the book, which has been widely reviewed, but not enough to keep idiots like me from buying it, evidently.
Note: The authors acknowledgement wasn't included in the sample. Actually, it was the best part of the book, for me.